Chase
by Aquamarine Columbine
Summary: The Gotei 13 has fallen. Alone, in the middle of the vast desert, Kira is running for his life. The clock is ticking, time is running out...


27/03/10

A/N: Finally got something up in time to say… HAPPY BIRTHDAY KIRA-KUN! BD I am also very sorry that I couldn't get you something more cheerful -fail-

17/05/10: Reformatted due to readability issues.

**Chase**

_The Gotei 13 has fallen. Alone, in the middle of the vast desert, Kira is running for his life. The clock is ticking, time is running out..._

**.::.**

I've been running for ages.

I don't know how long. Seconds, minutes, hours – I've lost track. But I'm not worried about that – I know I can go on for a lot longer. I'm made of stronger stuff than most people realise.

Everybody underestimates me. It's tiring, but I'm…I'm used to it, I guess. It's easier when nobody expects anything of you.

I'm not worried about exhaustion. No, what I'm worried about is _him –_ the person chasing me. Cap – Ichimaru. The traitor. My _ex-_captain. He's here, he's here, he's –

He's keeping his distance right now, but that's all just an act, I know it. He could catch me and gut me before I could gasp "Persimmon!" The only reason he hasn't done so already is because that's not the kind of man he is.

He's a sadistic man, one who enjoys torture – especially of the psychological sort. He drags things out, and complicates things...and enjoys messing with his subordinates' heads.

**.::.**

"_Hey, Kira-kun, could ya pass us that stack a' papers?"_

"_Of course, Captain Ichimaru."_

"_Oh, an' mind th' spider."_

_With a gasp and a start, Kira promptly dropped the stack of work, scattering paper all over the floor, as a large black spider emerged from within the depths of a file. He watched it scuttle away, and silently wished he could follow it._

"_Aw, now yar gonna have ta' pick em all up, aren't ya?"_

**.::.**

The sun beats down on the back of my neck, harsh and unforgiving on the vast desert that is the 53rd District of West Rukongai. The entire district is completely deserted, which is why what was left of the Gotei 13 set up base here. There aren't any civilians, which means zero loss of life. Oh, except for all of _us, _of course.

_Us. _It's funny. There _is_ no _us_. There _is_ no _we_.

It's every Shinigami for themselves.

The Gotei 13 is in shambles. We've lost, we're done for, we're finished, and we all know it.

**.::.**

It's all just a game now. A contest of who can stay alive the longest.

I'd like to imagine that Renji and Hisagi and Ikakku have been making bets about who each of the three Traitors are going to go for. I'd like to imagine that right now Renji is smirking in that satisfied way of his as he receives his money.

But I can't imagine that anymore. They're dead, and dead Shinigami are nowhere.

Even if they were still here…it's so hard to imagine things now.

Every since Captain…since Ichimaru left it's been work, and eat, and sleep, and train, and work, and eat, and sleep…

…sleep…

…sleep…

What would eternal sleep be like?

I –

_!_

My arm…my arm…Cap-Captain…_Captain…_

**.::.**

It's nothing. It's just a scratch. I can go on.

…Captain…Captain is really going to kill me, isn't he?

No. He's not my Captain. My Captain, the Captain I knew…he never existed.

**.::.**

"_Kira-kun…do you…do you miss Ichimaru-taicho?"_

_Kira looked at her. _

_And he said nothing._

_She turned to the other member of their table. "Hisagi-sempai –"_

"_I miss my Captain. But the man who left for Hueco Mundo is not my Captain. He's an enemy of Soul Society. I'll do everything I can to bring him down."_

_The table was silent._

_Then, quietly, very quietly, she_ _spoke: "I wish they had never left."_

_Kira knows who he agrees with, and it isn't his sempai._

**.****::.**

Where is he?

He's been back behind me the whole time. I've been able to see him the whole time. I've been able to _feel _him the whole time.

I can't now. I can't see him, and I can't sense any of his reiatsu. It's like he's completely disappeared.

But he can't have. He can't have stopped chasing me, he can't have.

Captain…isn't a person…to give up on things. He's still chasing me…he _is_…

He _has _to be. He _has_ to be here.

But he's _not – _he's _not here_.

_Where is he?_

**.::.**

I_ can't do this._

My leg…I can barely stand on it, let alone run.

He came out of nowhere, and appeared right in front of me. And he was still wearing that _same smile._

And he sliced my leg open, and left, just like that.

_Why?_

I…I thought I knew him…I thought…I…

He's coming back. I have to run.

I won't give up. I won't let him get to me. I _won't._

**.::.**

It's getting dark.

I can barely walk now. Everything hurts. It's a struggle to breathe, my mouth is dry and my throat is aching.

My left arm hangs by my side, but the agonizing cut is nothing in comparison to the pain in my leg.

But I can't stop to perform healing kido because then – then –

Suddenly, I feel him closing in on me. I spin around, barely making it. The clang as our blades lock together rings out across the arid wasteland.

My arms tremble violently and my legs threaten to buckle, only just holding the weight of Shinso. Injured and exhausted, I've no chance.

A n d - - - - t h e n - - - - e v e r y t h i n g - - - - f r e e z e s - - - - .

All I can see is his face, smiling down at me. Then I can't even see that, because everything blurs. It's like I'm looking through water – I am, I realise. The water that runs from my eyes.

"Time ta end this game now, ne, Kira-kun?"

But I can't reply, because my – head is – spinning and – the world – is spinning – and – why – is – everything – spinning –

Oh, here's the ground. Ouch. It's harder than I remember...

...And there goes Wabisuke, all the way over there...

...And Captain's face again, his ever-present leer firmly in place, Shinso in hand...

You win, Captain Ichimaru.

"Bye bye, Kira-kun."

**.::.**


End file.
